Page 46 of Drawn into Oblivion

“Is she always like that?” Mai asked Rosuke. She felt more than heard him chuckle.

His shouted reply barely reached her ears. “I see she made a lasting impression.”

They neared Naoko, and Mai grasped the girl’s fingers with the biggest smile she could muster. “Good morning, Mistress Naoko!” All too quickly, Mai was forced to let go of the girl’s hand, but Naoko bounced and squealed with joy.

“She’s going to brag to her friends all day. You’ve made her very happy,” Rosuke said by her ear. The crowd was nearly deafening, so Mai smiled to show she understood.

A few moments later, she was relieved to arrive at the pond. Shaking so many hands had left her palms a little sticky. Rosuke helped her along the stone steps that led to the stairs behind the stage. Mai gratefully gripped the handrail as she and Rosuke ascended together.

“Good morning, Elder Mai, Commander Rosuke.”

Still on the steps, Mai looked up to see Nae of House Seed. She and the other Spring house elders also wore green. Nae’s dress boasted leaves and small birds. Next to Nae, Arashi of House Storm wore a dark shade of green patterned with rainclouds, and it reminded Mai of a violent squall that had blown down an aging tree in her hometown.

Cheers burst from the spectators ringing the pond when Mai stepped onto the stage, startling her into clutching Rosuke’s arm. He covered her hand with his as he guided her to the center of the platform, away from the clumps of officers and house elders.

An ocean of people filled Lantern Park. They were so tightly packed that many were toeing the edge of the pond. Everyone had worn their season’s color: green for spring, yellow for summer, red for autumn, and blue for winter.

She looked back to see whether the empress was near the top of the stairs, which would explain the loud cheers of those waiting on the banks, but Shumei was still greeting people halfway along the path as Vallen and her personal guards patiently waited.

Mai couldn’t help the tears that welled up as she turned around again, scanning the sea of overjoyed faces as dozens of people called her name and waved for her attention.

“They cheer for you,” Rosuke said, speaking so close his lips brushed her ear. Heat bloomed from her scalp to her collarbone. He soothingly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, and she realized she was gripping his arm rather hard. “Wave to them,” he encouraged. “Wave to our people.”

She almost didn’t want to. Would they think her silly for waving?

Oh, who cared if they thought she was silly. And if Rosuke’s suggestion was a prank, she had ways to get back at him. So she hesitantly lifted her arm and waved. Amazingly, the din of cheering grew even louder. Hundreds lifted their hands to wave back. Some were so excited they were jumping up and down.

“Divine One have mercy,” she breathed.

“The empress approaches. I shall deposit you with the Spring elders,” Rosuke said. Feeling light, Mai followed him to the gaggle of green women and reluctantly let go of his arm. He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and flashed a mischievous smile before falling in line with the officers on the other side of the stage.

Shumei reached the stage with her consort and waved to the crowd with magnanimous calm as the sea of onlookers all but exploded. Some people in the crowd probably hadn’t even yet laid eyes upon the empress. Oka wasn’t far behind, but he elected to stand with the military officers rather than by his sister’s side as he usually did.

Mai surveyed the crowd ringing the pond, which looked like a tiny island in a seething ocean. She spotted clumps of brownies, who also enthusiastically waved to the young empress.

Shumei lifted her arms, her white dress fluttering in the breeze. Silence instantly descended.

“My people!” Her gentle voice conveyed power and authority, and carried much farther than Mai expected. She pointed with her right hand. “I see my father.” Then her left. “I see my mother. I see my brothers and my sisters.” She took a step forward, palms open and arms spread. A chill ran down Mai’s spine.

“I see my family, alive and thriving,” Shumei continued, pausing often to let her words sink through the charged air. She lowered her arms. “We have all seen dark days these past months. We have all lost people we love.”

Dozens of heads nodded in the crowd.

“Believe me when I say more dark days lie ahead of us. But we have shelter. We have food.” She swept her hand toward Mai, and the four Spring ladies pushed Mai forward to be acknowledged. Countless heads turned toward her as cheers erupted once again, making her cheeks burn with embarrassment. Her gaze darted to Rosuke, who looked at her with a proud smile.

“We have protection.” Shumei gestured at the line of military officers, some of whom nervously bobbed their heads. Vallen and Rosuke took the attention in stride, bowing respectfully to the masses. The cheering grew as more people clapped and whistled. “We have each other,” the empress said, and a din of responding cries resounded across the wide courtyard.

“Today, we celebrate the change of seasons from summer to autumn,” Shumei said. “We celebrate the bountiful harvest. We celebrate the first festival of the Dark Court in more than three hundred years.” Shumei turned in a slow circle, sweeping her heavy gaze over every face. “My people, my family,” she called. “Let the festival begin!” Fists and waving hands shot into the air as the crowd roared.

All around the park, nearly a hundred booths had been erected for games, food, and contests. The stage would be a site for performances throughout the day, including a performance by each season’s house elders.

People began to mill about, though a great deal were still drawn by the empress’s presence and stuck close to the pond. The house elders quickly dispersed to tend to their own duties, but Shumei and her guards would be by the stage for some time to allow for more people to meet her.

Mai looked around for Rosuke, hoping to share a few more moments with him before duty called, but his fellow officers had already whisked him away.

“Elder Mai, we’re about to begin the preparations,” Arashi called.

Mai sighed, wondering when she would be able to tell Rosuke what she should have told him weeks ago.